A Family Now
by SchrodingersMonster
Summary: How Judith Carol and Daryl became a family. One shot.


**First TWD fic so go easy on me, hope you enjoy :3**

**oOoOo oOoOo oOoOo**

"Hey, little ass-kicker," Daryl murmured as he carefully took Judith from Maggie. "Who wants their formula?" He walked away, stepping carefully around the sleeping bodies in the early morning, and heading for the corner they kept all the baby supplies in. Holding Judith carefully in one arm, he grabbed the formula. As soon as he brought the bottle into her line of sight, Judy cooed happily. Daryl couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. _She's just too damn cute._

Turning, the broad-shouldered redneck made his way back to the landing he slept on, sitting on his mattress and cradling the infant as she ate. He loved the silence of the mornings. No whining inmates, no planning, no stressing, no Carl and Beth giving each other looks that spoke louder than words. It was peaceful as the sun rose, and if not for the decaying bodies wandering just outside the prison, Daryl could have almost believed it was just a normal morning. A morning with his child…

He didn't know how it had happened. Somehow, whenever something was off with Judith, someone would say, "Get Daryl." Whenever she was crying and attracting walkers, when she wouldn't eat, even when she looked sick, before they had called Herschel, they had called Daryl. Rick tried his best, but he simply couldn't make time for his motherless daughter.

Daryl suspected that Rick secretly had some grudges against Judith. When he thought no one else was looking, the former police officer would look at the baby with such hatred that Daryl wondered how no one else had noticed. He knew that Rick loved his daughter in his heart, but sometimes it felt like Dayrl was more of a father than him.

His thoughts were interrupted when a hand fell on his shoulder, startling him. He twisted quickly, ready to grab his knife, but relaxed when he saw it was only Carol. She smiled in that quiet way of hers and sat down next to him without a word. She offered to take Judith and he passed her off, watching contentedly as Carol spoke to the baby in a hushed whisper, telling her things she wouldn't understand for months yet.

"You wanna eat?" Daryl asked, considering her in that squinty way of his. She smiled at him gratefully.

"Sure, thank you." He waved off her thanks as he got up, grabbing some bananas they had grown themselves and some water. When he came back, Carol was just handing Judith off to Herschel. Daryl grunted as a way of saying good morning to Herschel, and sat down next to Carol. They were alone at last.

They ate quietly, not needing words to communicate the sense of nirvana they had. Slowly, the prison came alive. Fear of the walkers was thick in the air, fear of what would come next, tension between people, it all flooded back without a sound, but somehow, the world was heavier. Sighing, Daryl heaved himself up.

"Take a walk with me?" He asked, holding out his hand in an almost shy way.

Carol took it without a word, running a hand over her short hair as she slipped into the almost-comfortable routine that was life with Daryl Dixon. As they walked away from the group, and into the labyrinth of the prison, Carol felt herself relax. Her shoulders went down, losing the tension they previously held, her eyes released the glassy stare they were holding straight ahead, and her grip on Daryl's hand loosened just a bit. He glanced over at her, blue eyes as deep as the ocean staring back at blue eyes as clear as a winter morning sky. Carol's heart skipped a beat as he drew closer, his hand sliding up her arm to the back of her neck as he pulled her in to kiss her.

Daryl felt the weight lifted off his shoulders. Kissing her was like finding heaven. Like standing on the top of the world and just breathing. He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers, sharing the same air as her.

"I love ya, woman. " He murmured lowly, hoping to God she wouldn't leave. For once, Daryl Dixon cared about someone, cared how they saw him… cared if they loved him. Carol smiled and kissed him briefly again.

"I love you too, Daryl. More than I ever thought I could again. After Ed…" she paused momentarily, struggling to find the words. "Ed, and then Sophia. My heart cracked in two when I lost my baby." A tear rolled down her cheek, and Daryl wiped it away carefully. "You sewed me up inside. I love you, and I never want to lose you."

"You won't." He vowed with conviction. " I will never leave ya, or hurt ya. You, an' me, an' Judith. We're a family now and I'll be damned if I let a bunch o' slobbering idiots take that away from us."

Carol smiled and pulled back, grabbing his hand as they walked back to the others. Even in the midst of all that tension and trauma, their spirits could not be dragged down.

**oOoOo oOoOo oOoOo**

**Not sure where I was going with that one but there you have it. Please r&r if you liked, I take requests C:**


End file.
